Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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WHAT INDEPENDENCE WOULD MEAN TO THE YOUTH OF BERMUDA When one exannines the likely effects of Independence upon the youth of this Island, one must realize that we, the youth of today, are the adults of the future. It will be upon us that the woes and burdens of Independence will fall. The question foremost in many minds is Independence from what? From that swaggering, inhuman task- master, Great Britain, or from the prosperous lives and high standards of living enjoyed by Bermudians todays Our present position of autonomy is as close as one can come to Independence, bar associated statehood which Britain will no longer grant, without going over the brink. Islands to our south, most bigger, some with mineral wealth, have attempted Independence for many of the same obscure reasons that today ' s proponents of In- dependence have put forward. Nationalistic feelings, a feeling of belonging, a national flag, a national anthem — these effects of Independence upon other Islands have been for the worst. As their econc ' -e.s deteriorate, unem- ployment and poverty increase, resulting in social and political unrest. How, ask international economists, can Bermuda manage to survive the troubled waters of recession and depression with such a delicate economy? International companies, which make up practically half of our economic base, are very sensitive to the in- ternal affairs of the countries in which they have set up headquarters. Such companies will stay, providing jobs for thousands of Bermudians directly, and many more indirectly, as long as they are not forced out by constantly in- creasing tax burdens. It is the belief of some that such firms should be compelled to pay for the cost of Independence. If taxes on such exempt companies rise drastically, we will see a dramatic decrease in the number of firms based here. Following on the heels of this departure will be unemployment and poverty for many Bermudians. The cry will then go up for economic diversification. Tourists, while also susceptible to high prices, come to this Island to escape the pollution and industrialisation of their cities. If such changes take place the tourist will soon seek another place in the sun, thus hastening the death of the goose that laid the golden egg. Under the Status Quo however, barring unforseen international occurences, both tourism and international companies should be able to be maintained at present levels, thus maintaining, if not increasing, our present high standard of living. What is wrong with our present position as a dependency? It is nothing to be ashamed of. We should be proud to be the inhabitants of Bermuda and the subjects of Her Majesty, The Queen, It should be realized that our lot could, on one hand, be much worse, while on the other, it could not be much better. There is no case here of Britain robbing us of our wealth. We pay no taxes to Whitehall, our expenditure to Britain being confined to the maintenance of a Governor. This Governor has the sole interest of looking after Ber- muda, with a view to defense and internal security, while providing us with a little pomp and pageantry on special occasions. For this moderate expenditure Britain provides us with worldwide representation at the United Nations and other organizations where the interests of Bermuda are in focus. Also taken care of is our external security. Britain provides a certain stability, something very much appreciated by exempt companies. Upon Independence we would become completely responsible for defense, external affairs and internal security and all costs and expenses that accompany them. The strengthening of internal security forces would be a priority in the view of events following independence in other former colonies. We should ' earn from the lessons shown us by the Seychelles Islands, the latest colony to leave the family. The Government ' s Green Paper on Independence gave a summary of the initial costs of such a move. The figures quoted ranged from $1,777,000.00 to $1,907,000.00. This would be just for the privilege of Indepen- dence. The recurrent annual cost could be much higher allowing for inflation in all areas except those of defense and internal security. As a member of Bermuda ' s youth, I wonder if Independence is worth so great an expenditure. It would be a bot- tomless pit into which we will forever be pouring increasing numbers of nollars without realizing any real benefits for Bermuda and her people. It will ultimately be the young people of today who will bear what may be the greatest mistake in our history. In- dependence. by David R. Evans 5H Heat Expressionism 19

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PONDERING By:- J. Madeiras (Senior Year) Lying here alone on my bed, Looking up at the barren ceiiing, Seeing nny whoi? ■ The childhood Visiting grand.. The ' boyfrier; k Have all bee- My surr : ghts ' and pleasures, - ;u friends, the airplane journey, , s r, ; chool teachers and friends — very dear to me; 3od and dedication to Him — My dearest i risnds, ! thank God for them all. What happened to the simple, secure Feelings I had as a child? Always looking to mom and dad for making My decisions — and not having to work for spending money. Now, I feel the pressures of the world, society. Mankind, I have to make important decisions — myself, And Have to worK for anything I want. I question life many times. Sometimes, it all seems useless as Whatever happens to us in the future — We have to leave everything in the world. Questions are sometimes unanswerable, friends sometimes forsake. Material gain becomes important in my life. Why can ' t I be consistent for God? I guess it all comes with realizing that Man is far from perfect, And often I see mistakes in the lives of those I once admired for their apparent ' perfection ' . What will happen next? WHATIS A FRIEND By:- J. Madeiras (Seniar Year) There are many kinds of friends: A boyfriend, a girlfriend, a best friend and a ' worst ' friend. But what is a friend? On thinking hard and long it is Quite difficult to find the words to describe a true friend. He is patient with you all the time — Never ' hot ' or ' blows his mind ' . He listens when you need to talk And get rid of ill feelings. He laughs with you when you ' re happy And cries with you when you ' re sad. He builds you up when you ' re feeling down And sticks around when you feel like a clown. A friend loves your other friends And respects your desire to be with them. A friend shares his lunch with you — When all he has is an apple. A friend gives surprises and teases you a lot And doesn ' t look for any reward — well ... maybe a slap on the back! A friend is sensitive to your feelings And tries not to hurt you in any way. A friend is a person who gives and gives and gives And doesn ' t expect anything in return. A true friend — whether male or female — is a priceless gift. That cannot be bought, inherited or stolen. A friend can only be a friend If you ' re a friend too. M. Aubrey 3G 18

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A FASCINATING PLACE By:- J. Evans (3G) Amusement parks are common in most countries in the Western world. The United States, in particular, has many such attractions. Probably the largest and most popular is Disneyland, the original Magic Kingdom or its h igher, Disneyworld. These fabulous establish- ments, in California and Florida respectively, are iden- tically built, each covering a massive area of land, and each is a fascinating place. Each of the parks are divided into sections, large kingdoms and lands . These range from the dusty forts of Frontier Land to the castles of Fantasy Land and the French shops of New Orleans Square. Of all the Lands probably the most popular is Tomorrow Land . The rides and buildings represent things of the future — rockets, trips deep into space and through uncharted waters in submarines and all are very fun and exciting. Space Mountain is the newest attraction and brings in most of the people. The Matterhorn is a huge man-made mountain through which run roller-coasters. In the Haunted House a run-down, old house is beset by ghosts and skeletons. New Orleans Square is built to resemble the old French Quarter of New Orleans. There are also boat rides. In short, there is a place for everyone in the Magic Kingdom . One is fascinated by the way the rides inside the buildings are made. One of the attractions, for in- stance, is Pirates of the Caribbean . This is situated inside what appears to be a large house, but inside in dark tunnels, sight-seeing boats travel and lakes, trains, forts and ships are shown, often with mechanical figures. There are even waterfalls and caverns so that it is surprising that all fits inside the buildings but thanks to the engineering, it does. The whole park is spotlessly clean, which is sur- prising in such a visited place. The gardens are in per- fect order and nowhere is there any sign of disrepair. The fact that it is an amusement park is forgotten after eating in one of the many fine restaurants. At night there are fireworks and parades of electric floats. In short, the place is very active at night. The great wastage of electricity is forgotten completely. Even the best places have problems, however, even if they are not readily seen by the visitor. True, the trash problem is well contained but it must be a difficult job keeping ii up. It is discontenting, to say the least, to see a queue a long as Front Street going to see an exhibit, but the wait 13 always worthwhile. Even at Disneyland, a pickpocket might infiltrate the crowds, and in the ex- citement and confusion, it would be fairly easy and it does happen The monagement must have great problems, keeping everything clean and in good repair and thus employs fiundreds of people, but these are not thought of by the visito. I would cctainly recommend and stay there myself for a day or, as it is easy to do, a week. It is most enjoyable and truly fascinating. THE CITY By: S. Shepperd (3G) Above all, cities are masses of civilization. They are terminals for an influx of population from the neigh- bouring countryside. They are colossal, yet intricate, seemingly alike, yet interesting. How many people have seen a city once, and then don ' t make a return trip sometime in the future? Not too many. The reasons for coming to the city are many. They serve as a business centre for a whole continent, or a shopping arcade for the people, or even a place of residence, if you care to put up with the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the city. Do people really notice other people in the city? Does one notice that besides yourself on the sidewalk, there are hundreds of others, each moving in his or her own direction, intent upon his or her own specific pur- pose? And what is that specific purpose, that one must walk, dodge and elbow briskly through the rushing crowd? Perhaps he ' s going to catch the subway up- town, the city ' s great graffiti-covered, mass transit system, going from everywhere to everywhere every few minutes. Or maybe he ' s going to work nearby, in one of the magnificent buildings, masses of steel, con- crete, aluminium and glass, stretching so many seemingly endless stories above you. Or still, maybe, he ' s going for lunch — a bagel and coffee in one of the hundreds of small coffee shops in the city. Or perhpas he ' s going to walk to the corner of the street and procure for himself a steaming hot soft-pretzel from the umbrella-covered cart for a quarter. Wherever he ' s going, it ' s likely to be part of the everyday life in a city, a routine one adjusts to, a commonplace event, as com- mon as the steam issueing from the manhole-covers and vent-holes in the street. The scene here is the same, basically, as in any city, with a few differences. It could be happening in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, London, or anywhere, but those few minor differences are what gives each city it ' s own character or personality. Cities are the focal point of mankind, they are gleaming metropolises of civilization and technology. 20